Planetary scientists debate where to land next.

More than 125 planetary scientists will gather in Pasadena, California, next week to begin planning NASA’s next steps on Mars — or rather, where that step should fall. The workshop will rank more than 40 candidate landing sites for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), a rover slated to depart for the planet in September 2009. There will be no hasty decisions: NASA plans three more workshops after this one, and will choose the final site a month before launch.

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